That's What a Decent Game Looks Like!

[Wys Guy]

As some of you may know, I started a thread on Sunday prior to the game to track Losman's short passes. He pitched an excellent short game.

Granted, he had all day in the pocket, a luxury that neither he nor Edwards have been afforded to date. And while we can argue which had more to do with that, any supposed improvement in Bills' line play or the notion that the Bengals stink the joint up in terms of pass rush as evidenced by their 31st ranked yardage D, tied for 32nd ranked scoring D, and 24th ranked sack D, but the fact is that he had time, often oodles of it, almost at times appearting to be a caricature of sorts. Yet amidst all that he often looked deeper first only throwing off short when his options elsewhere had been removed, which may still play out to be problematic given his clear desire to go long first.

This is what a good game looks like. That's what happens when a QB such as Losman with a decent arm is capable of pitching a solid short game. In this case is was more than solid.

Whether he can continue that remains to be seen. But it's an indictment to me of our OL in games where we don't get to face bottom quartile defensive rushing teams.

Unfortunately we don't get to play the Bengals and Jets every week although we do have a pair of games vs. the Fins left and Cleveland who's also a very poor pass rushing team however.

Either way and regardless, with time, if Losman can pitch short games like that, he will be a decent NFL QB, possibly above average and I've been stating that that's the key to his success in the NFL as a starting QB.

This was the first game in the Levy-Jauron era in which the team played solid funadmental football for most of the full 4 quarters!

[Mitchy moo]

As some of you may know, I started a thread on Sunday prior to the game to track Losman's short passes. He pitched an excellent short game.

Granted, he had all day in the pocket, a luxury that neither he nor Edwards have been afforded to date. And while we can argue which had more to do with that, any supposed improvement in Bills' line play or the notion that the Bengals stink the joint up in terms of pass rush as evidenced by their 31st ranked yardage D, tied for 32nd ranked scoring D, and 24th ranked sack D, but the fact is that he had time, often oodles of it, almost at times appearting to be a caricature of sorts.

This is what a good game looks like. That's what happens when a QB such as Losman with a decent arm is capable of pitching a solid short game. In this case is was more than solid.

Whether he can continue that remains to be seen. But it's an indictment to me of our OL in games where we don't get to face bottom quartile defensive rushing teams.

Unfortunately we don't get to play the Bengals and Jets every week although we do have a pair of games vs. the Fins left and Cleveland who's also a very poor pass rushing team however.

Either way and regardless, with time, if Losman can pitch short games like that, he will be a decent NFL QB, possibly above average and I've been stating that that's the key to his success in the NFL as a starting QB.

We played a team that's inept on D at home. Like I said on the other thread, JP played great. I'd like to see him play a team with a winning record that's pressuring him, that's when he usually folds.

[mybills]

Several people have commented on how much time he had in the pocket, and that it's the first time either QB has had time..then I think back a few games and don't buy it. The line has been giving Trent time since he's taken over, but because he has such a quick release you don't really notice it. I give them more kudos for that than I do for their lack of opening holes for Lynch.

[Mitchy moo]

Several people have commented on how much time he had in the pocket, and that it's the first time either QB has had time..then I think back a few games and don't buy it. The line has been giving Trent time since he's taken over, but because he has such a quick release you don't really notice it. I give them more kudos for that than I do for their lack of opening holes for Lynch.

He could of had a baby back there with the amount of time he had. He was throwing with very little pressure after releasing it. JP also figured out he had room to run and took advantage of it, that's where I give him the mobility edge over TE.

[BidsJr]

As some of you may know, I started a thread on Sunday prior to the game to track Losman's short passes. He pitched an excellent short game.

Granted, he had all day in the pocket, a luxury that neither he nor Edwards have been afforded to date. And while we can argue which had more to do with that, any supposed improvement in Bills' line play or the notion that the Bengals stink the joint up in terms of pass rush as evidenced by their 31st ranked yardage D, tied for 32nd ranked scoring D, and 24th ranked sack D, but the fact is that he had time, often oodles of it, almost at times appearting to be a caricature of sorts. Yet amidst all that he often looked deeper first only throwing off short when his options elsewhere had been removed, which may still play out to be problematic given his clear desire to go long first.

This is what a good game looks like. That's what happens when a QB such as Losman with a decent arm is capable of pitching a solid short game. In this case is was more than solid.

Whether he can continue that remains to be seen. But it's an indictment to me of our OL in games where we don't get to face bottom quartile defensive rushing teams.

Unfortunately we don't get to play the Bengals and Jets every week although we do have a pair of games vs. the Fins left and Cleveland who's also a very poor pass rushing team however.

Either way and regardless, with time, if Losman can pitch short games like that, he will be a decent NFL QB, possibly above average and I've been stating that that's the key to his success in the NFL as a starting QB.

This was the first game in the Levy-Jauron era in which the team played solid funadmental football for most of the full 4 quarters!

He had that extra second to think and that is what made him look great.

Unfortunately without that extra second he looks befuddled and lost. That is what seperates a great QB from an inconsistant one.

His brain just doesn't process things fast enough in my opinion to be consistantly great.

[mybills]

I'll take a touch down on the first drive any time! :bravo:

[colin]

i agree that without the time jp is a mess, he does have a cannon and if evans is close to open he will make big plays (that's his strength).

i think our o line has been not great at run blocking, but we run right into the D, no one is fooled and they are expecting rush every down that lynch is in there (leads the nfl in carries). they are really good opening holes one play, and then crap the next. lynch has missed some wide open holes and has hesitated in the backfield a few times (of course his shifty style allowed him to break that huge one last week).

over all we need an identity on O, we need a big strong WR beside the deep threat of evans. a tight end would be nice too. of course, our RG situation isn't great either, but our guys might come along.

if we add those bits we'll have IMO a very good team.

[Wys Guy]

He had that extra second to think and that is what made him look great.

Unfortunately without that extra second he looks befuddled and lost. That is what seperates a great QB from an inconsistant one.

His brain just doesn't process things fast enough in my opinion to be consistantly great.

Extra second, singular?

Rewatch that game, there were plays where he had 7 or 8 seconds to look around and get rid of the ball. That's simply not going to happen again this season other than perhaps against Miami. Even then, I just don't see it.

Even the commentators on varying review shows took notice.

[Wys Guy]

i agree that without the time jp is a mess, he does have a cannon and if evans is close to open he will make big plays (that's his strength).

i think our o line has been not great at run blocking, but we run right into the D, no one is fooled and they are expecting rush every down that lynch is in there (leads the nfl in carries). they are really good opening holes one play, and then crap the next. lynch has missed some wide open holes and has hesitated in the backfield a few times (of course his shifty style allowed him to break that huge one last week).

over all we need an identity on O, we need a big strong WR beside the deep threat of evans. a tight end would be nice too. of course, our RG situation isn't great either, but our guys might come along.

if we add those bits we'll have IMO a very good team.

I think we need an identity on D too. We are a little too hodgepodge right now. Our strengths from last year have evaporated and done a flip-flop.

Expect Lynch to start slowing down. His best carries are in the beginning of games and he slows down as the game goes on. I'm not sure how many carrie for losses he has, but it's a significant number. I blame the OL for that, not him. McGahee had the same problem and as much as I don't care for McGahee or think he's much more than an average starting RB, many of his rushes for losses weren't his fault either indicting the line even further this season as well as last. (can anyone say McNally)

Lynch has been running pretty much as he did in college however. He rarely broke long runs there either. Which is fine, since you really want a better average and more consistency in that way than a single long run or two with a bunch of 1.0 carries otherwise.

The thing about JP is that it's obvious that he looks downfield first. Even in this past game many of his short throws were only after nothing materialized downfield. While good that he did that, in most games he simply won't have the kind of time that he did in order to be able to evaluate his downfield options prior to dumping off.

That "dumping off" absolutely needs to be a planned part of any offensive attack. I question how much of it was "planned" on Sunday vice improv after his preferential options collapsed. Again, a good game, but having been his only one to date in nearly 30 starts, most of us want to see some evidence that he can do that routinely before stating that he's a decent QB.

[BidsJr]

Extra second, singular?

Rewatch that game, there were plays where he had 7 or 8 seconds to look around and get rid of the ball. That's simply not going to happen again this season other than perhaps against Miami. Even then, I just don't see it.

Even the commentators on varying review shows took notice.

Why argue with my semantics when I was agreeing with you?

[Wys Guy]

Why argue with my semantics when I was agreeing with you?

Adding emphasis. ;)

...and thus the question mark.

No disrespect intended at all.

[BidsJr]

Adding emphasis. ;)

...and thus the question mark.

No disrespect intended at all.


The one play that he had any pressure at all he threw a pick.

[justasportsfan]

NO we know what Royals meant when he said he wanted to see JP behind this improved OL.


There's no reason for Trent to dink and dunk when the OL gives him time to throw deep. He just has to take chances and trust his wr's to come down with the ball. He needs to start using his arm strength.

[shelby]

:bf1:JP!

[raphael120]

All I know is that "UH UH SOMEONE, HERE! UGHHHNNN!" throw up into the air that one time will NEVER happen again.

JP, buddy, I know you want stuff to happen, but you just can't throw it straight up in the air like that.

[John Doe]

The first Jets game was what a decent game looks like.

The Bengals game is what a good game looks like.

[Wys Guy]

The one play that he had any pressure at all he threw a pick.

LOL

There was a play with pressure? :D

Yeah, please do not misconstrue any of my comments to mean that I think that JP will be good henceforth. IMO he'll go right back to the same exact struggles beginning this Sunday.

I guess that my point is that IF he can get the ball off much more quickly than he did on Sunday, and still hit those receivers in stride and accurately as he did on Sunday, yet has failed to do throughout his brief career with the Bills to date, then that's what we can expect to see more of.

We would still only have a mediocre O mind you, but it'd be better than the bottom tier O we've had against teams other than defensive weaklings.

[Wys Guy]

NO we know what Royals meant when he said he wanted to see JP behind this improved OL.


There's no reason for Trent to dink and dunk when the OL gives him time to throw deep. He just has to take chances and trust his wr's to come down with the ball. He needs to start using his arm strength.

JP needs to make those short-medium reads much quicker however. It was nice, but wasn't nearly quick enough. I also question the play calling if he was going longer that often too as he always seemed to look downfield first.

[Goobylal]

First of all, when a team with a defense that can bring pressure plays the Bills, it's a matter of the O-line holding-up enough until a receiver gets open. It's not like there are guys open on every play (again, against good defenses) and JP is missing them. And the play designs have to HAVE short-range passing targets, something Fairchild is loathe to install with JP.

But I've seen games against good defenses where JP has been firing passes out quickly to receivers. The problem is something always happens to screw things up, like a penalty, or an untouched rusher, or tackles for losses, or WR's muffing the catch. Now I'm not saying that JP is infallible, just that he's not the only one having problems.

This team still lacks a true #2 WR (some would say true #1 and say that Lee is really a #2 WR), a threat at TE, and the O-line is poor at run-blocking. And Fairchild sucks as an OC.

Oh and Wys, did you see Lynch's 56-yard TD run at the end of the Bungles game? I don't see this kid slowing down, if anytime, for at least 4-5 more games.

BTW, what was the O/U for wins that we we're almost going to bet on again? Good thing for you you refused to answer my PM's.

[bflojohn]

In my mind, they are simply doing things differently! TE's and H-Backs are involved, and the overall gameplan is rounding into form. Both QB's have thrived off of more protection, a more diversified attack, and the maturing of a star running back in Lynch! Actually, dare I say that things could and should continue to get better. It isn't lost on me that JP and the boys sarted their run right about NOW last year.... coincidence? I think NOT!!

[mybills]

JP, buddy, I know you want stuff to happen, but you just can't throw it straight up in the air like that.

If you noticed, it was more toward the side line. Neither Parrish nor the other 3 defenders could get to it before it hit the ground. I'm guessing he hoped either Parrish could get to it, or it would just bounce out. It's not like he threw it up for all 4 of them to catch in the middle of the field.

[YardRat]

Was r-120 referring to the incompletion, or the pick?

[mybills]

Was r-120 referring to the incompletion, or the pick?
He said (way up in the air) I assumed he was talking about that stupid throw that JP took a chance on when he was about to get sacked.